Crusades period. 4 1/4" height, polished dark gray terracotta. The body is of turnip form with a stamped decoration of a stylized flower repeated around the perimeter. The top with a low mounded wick. Known as "Greek fire" these were filled with flammable pitch and thrown or catapulted. Upon impact, they would burst to spew their burning contents which would start fires as well as burn any enemy in their path. In the absence of antibiotics, such burns usually led to a slow death from infection.